There are many confined or hazardous spaces which require regular inspection and maintenance. Currently, much of this inspection and maintenance is carried out by human personnel despite many of these confined spaces containing hazardous materials, noxious gases, and/or other contaminants and conditions that are detrimental to humans. As an example, many oceangoing vessels are constructed with a honeycomb of compartments between the outer hull and the lowest internal deck surface. The structure is typically comprised of longitudinal and transverse bulkheads that provide strength for the hull. These compartments are occasionally used for storage of liquids including water and fuel. Currently, the refurbishment of hazardous or confined spaces is carried out by workers who perform operations such as cleaning surfaces, removing coatings, inspection, repair, and painting.
Refurbishing these spaces is difficult as they are often not designed for routine human occupancy. The compartments may be limited in height (a couple of feet) requiring that tasks are performed on hands and knees or standing bent over with temporary task lighting. The compartments may also be limited in width, forcing workers to function in uncomfortable and potentially dangerous positions. In some examples, the compartments are typically connected by small manways that make movement of equipment and personnel in the space difficult. During the refurbishment process workers are exposed to various health hazards (VOCs, particulates, and others) requiring use of supplied air respirators and other personal protective equipment with potential for catastrophic failure causing injury or death to the user. Refurbishment of these spaces also presents the potential for flammable and depleted oxygen atmospheres, thereby creating additional risks for human maintenance workers.
Systems and methods are provided for performing inspection, maintenance, and refurbishment operations within hazardous or confined spaces using a remotely operated robotic manipulator.
So as to reduce the complexity and length of the Detailed Specification, Applicant(s) herein expressly incorporate(s) by reference all of the following materials identified in each paragraph below. The incorporated materials are not necessarily “prior art” and Applicant(s) expressly reserve(s) the right to swear behind any of the incorporated materials.
System and Method for Inspection and Maintenance of Confined Spaces, Ser. No. 62/250,417 filed Nov. 3, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Systems and Methods for Chain Joint Cable Routing, Ser. No. 14/975,544 filed Dec. 18, 2015, with a priority date of Dec. 19, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
System and Method for a Robotic Manipulator Arm, Ser. No. 62/337,066 filed May 16, 2016, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Applicant(s) believe(s) that the material incorporated above is “non-essential” in accordance with 37 CFR 1.57, because it is referred to for purposes of indicating the background or illustrating the state of the art. However, if the Examiner believes that any of the above-incorporated material constitutes “essential material” within the meaning of 37 CFR 1.57(c)(1)-(3), applicant(s) will amend the specification to expressly recite the essential material that is incorporated by reference as allowed by the applicable rules.
Aspects and applications presented here are described below in the drawings and detailed description. Unless specifically noted, it is intended that the words and phrases in the specification and the claims be given their plain, ordinary, and accustomed meaning to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. The inventors are fully aware that they can be their own lexicographers if desired. The inventors expressly elect, as their own lexicographers, to use only the plain and ordinary meaning of terms in the specification and claims unless they clearly state otherwise and then further, expressly set forth the “special” definition of that term and explain how it differs from the plain and ordinary meaning. Absent such clear statements of intent to apply a “special” definition, it is the inventors' intent and desire that the simple, plain and ordinary meaning to the terms be applied to the interpretation of the specification and claims.
The inventors are also aware of the normal precepts of English grammar. Thus, if a noun, term, or phrase is intended to be further characterized, specified, or narrowed in some way, then such noun, term, or phrase will expressly include additional adjectives, descriptive terms, or other modifiers in accordance with the normal precepts of English grammar. Absent the use of such adjectives, descriptive terms, or modifiers, it is the intent that such nouns, terms, or phrases be given their plain, and ordinary English meaning to those skilled in the applicable arts as set forth above.
Further, the inventors are fully informed of the standards and application of the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6. Thus, the use of the words “function,” “means” or “step” in the Detailed Description or Description of the Drawings or claims is not intended to somehow indicate a desire to invoke the special provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6, to define the systems, methods, processes, and/or apparatuses disclosed herein. To the contrary, if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6 are sought to be invoked to define the embodiments, the claims will specifically and expressly state the exact phrases “means for” or “step for, and will also recite the word “function” (i.e., will state “means for performing the function of . . . ”), without also reciting in such phrases any structure, material or act in support of the function. Thus, even when the claims recite a “means for performing the function of . . . ” or “step for performing the function of . . . ”, if the claims also recite any structure, material or acts in support of that means or step, or that perform the recited function, then it is the clear intention of the inventors not to invoke the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6. Moreover, even if the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, ¶6 are invoked to define the claimed embodiments, it is intended that the embodiments not be limited only to the specific structure, material or acts that are described in the preferred embodiments, but in addition, include any and all structures, materials or acts that perform the claimed function as described in alternative embodiments or forms, or that are well known present or later-developed, equivalent structures, material or acts for performing the claimed function.
Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.